DISCLAIMER: Yuugiou/Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters belongs to Takahashi Kazuki.

Because dance competitions vary from case to case, I'm not going to be so strict about standards, rules, and such for this oneshot.

This is my third fic of the second series (taking place sometime between the third and fourth season). So far I haven't seen any fic like this, so I gave it a try. Revolutionshipping, unfortunately, is canonically one-sided, so let's see how far this can be stretched. I modified this fic a bit, especially the ending part, to improve it. I think it looks better (and more revolutionshipping-ish), but I can always return it to its original form if it doesn't work out.

And finally, a warning: If you hate or even dislike Anzu, you still have the chance to go back and not read this fic. Obviously you're not going to enjoy reading it. (Well, I could still understand if you hate Téa, but Anzu? That's entirely another person; I blame 4kids for distorting her character.) The same applies if you hate or dislike revolutionshipping (one-sided or not). Otherwise, proceed.

I hope you'll enjoy! =)

WINNING

Polished exterior walls enclosing thick heavy curtains of velvet blocked out all sun rays of the late Sunday afternoon. In the darkness blanketing the vast space of the auditorium, only a few dim lights reached the multitude of watchers occupying row after row of soft chairs.

"Anzu, that girl. Keeping this competition a secret from us—what the hell was she thinking?" Jounouchi grumbled from his seat. "If Yuugi's tongue hadn't slipped, this thing would've been over and we still wouldn't even have the slightest clue about it!"

"Don't be so hard on her, Jounouchi-kun." Yuugi tried to appease his friend on his right. "Anzu's been working really hard."

Honda, who was just seated on the opposite side of Jounouchi, nodded in agreement. "At least we learned about it on time; that's the important thing."

"Yeah, but I heard from Yuugi that Anzu's competing in the finals now." The blond suddenly hooked Yuugi's neck with one arm and pulled his friend next to him, honey orbs narrowed in mock threat. "Yuugi, I've never even dreamed that you'd be keeping secrets from your best friend. What else have you been hiding? Come on, let's hear it. Spill it out!"

His feet literally off the carpet floor, the wielder of the Millennium Puzzle choked out and struggled to breathe.

Honda just chuckled slightly. "Well, naturally Yuugi would be loyal to Anzu first. After all, she was already his friend even before you came along, Jounouchi."

Jounouchi glowered. "Oh, shut up."

Finally Yuugi was able to pry off the limb threatening his air passage. "It's not that I want to keep this a secret, Jounouchi-kun. Anzu just wants this to be a surprise if she wins."

"But it's not like Anzu can forever keep a secret from us," Honda pointed out. "Eventually we'd find out. We're her companions, after all."

Just then the host materialized out of nowhere on the stage. "And now, introducing our fourth competitor, ladies and gentlemen, I give to you Mazaki Anzu!" As the audience clapped in response and he moved himself away, a familiar girl with shoulder-length brown tresses emerged from the wing.

"Anzu!" Yuugi yelled as loud as he could, hands cupped around his mouth. "Do your best!"

Jounouchi and Honda leaned forward. "Go, Anzu!"

Anzu took center stage and gave a brief smile.

"She looks confident out there. If I were in her place, I would have tripped on my feet on just the first oncoming beat," Jounouchi remarked as the clapping started to die down. "But say, Yuugi, you mentioned before that her number is pretty long. How on earth could she move around nonstop in that state for that amount of time?"

"Simple." Yuugi smiled. "Because she's Anzu."

She stood perfectly still on the center of the wooden stage, yet every fiber in her body tensed with anticipation. The bright spotlights were shining on her. Solely for her.

"For five minutes, the world is yours. You can do whatever you want during that time."

His final words still lingered. Azure orbs closed, ears absorbing every polite clap of hands before her, every familiar shout of her name. Energized, Anzu opened her eyes. She knew that among the sea of moving hands, her friends were there somewhere. But she hoped they weren't the only ones watching her.

Do you see me now…

The rhythm of the music jumped to an immediate start, then took on an upbeat pattern.

…Mou hitori no Yuugi?

At the sound of the bass, she stepped forward, arms outspread before she twirled. Chocolate hair followed every move. Her body, having been dictated by endless practice, moved on autopilot now as it took on the funky introduction of the dance. But her mind was concentrating on one goal: winning.

It wasn't as though she actually feared failure in her dance. Not at all. But she knew she had to succeed, no other options allowed. This competition, sponsored by a prestigious dance school in New York, would land her a scholarship at said school as its winner—an enormous leap right into the arms of her dream. A dream that had been igniting her ever since the first time she was awestruck by rhythm and movement back in childhood. A dream that pushed her to do more even after being defeated by dancer after dancer in uncountable auditions.

Now was finally her chance to prove herself, despite the approving claps of the audience for the first three girls of her caliber just before her turn. The girl who would perform right after her—she could be just as good, even superior to Anzu, but the blue-eyed girl couldn't afford to worry about that now. She had to impress the judges, and what better way to accomplish that than by besting the other candidates with a performance that would render the judges speechless with awe? I have to win.

Winning was not actually new to Anzu. In fact, she had also gained success in the limited number of duels she ever had, though such victories were barely of significance compared to striving to reach her goals in dancing. But at the same time, winning also wasn't something she was accustomed to. Not in the same manner as Mou hitori no Yuugi was, who constantly won in his duels.

Anzu had watched the pharaoh duel numerous times as far as she could remember. True, she wasn't adept like him or even Jounouchi, but she was more than familiar with the rules of the game. Each time Mou hitori no Yuugi attained victory, she would naturally be happy for him; however, at the same time she would be raided by pangs of longing, times of wishing she could be the way he was, so highly skilled, so excellent. It wasn't as though such moments stemmed from inner envy or even insecurity; after all, Duel Monsters never belonged to her list of top interests. But for each moment as a witness to his showcased expertise in his own field, an inner voice would overrule her wishful thinking, convicting that she was no different than him. Just like how excellent he was at dueling, so would she be as great in her own field.

Of course, Anzu also had her moments with victory in dancing, her beating Step Johnny at the arcade recently exemplifying it. But as much as that victory had strengthened her faith in her own skill, now it didn't matter much anymore. That dance challenge had been nothing more than a game; the battle she was currently engaged in was the real deal.

Halfway through the music, the atmosphere grew intense, Anzu's lithe form cutting and slicing through it while drawing energy from it at the same time. Snappy movements were perfectly in sync with the increasing and decreasing tempo, and she was in complete control. Every practiced step felt natural to her, and somehow she could feel the audience was convinced that they were. But that wasn't enough. Her victory would be defined by the judges watching her just a short distance away, and she was dictated by everything to ensure that victory. Shapely legs took an already calculated leap that would require a spin to follow up that step.

But at the last moment her foot slipped, causing her to lose balance and momentum that she whirled and collapsed, landing on the stage on her stomach. Hard. Instinctively her arms shielded her face in time so they received the impact of the fall instead.

The music abruptly stopped.

Intense pain that shot through her foot began radiating up her leg, and she shut her eyes tightly, trying to bear it. The silence left by the sudden absence of music was actually deafening to her ears hidden by tangled chocolate locks. Even without looking up, she could feel the growing heavy stares of the people before her, wondering and waiting for her next move, some pitying her. Hot sensation crept up her neck. It would be no surprise if there were a few snickers erupting among them, only to be thrown in her direction.

Never had she been so humiliated in her entire life.

But alongside humiliation was something even worse.

Anzu willed her leg to pull itself to a more stable position, but movement was inhibited by the serious ache somewhere in her ankle. Move! she urged, alarm possessing her. Why don't you move!

Finally the pain gave way but in an instant dominated once more after the leg moved by mere an inch. The brunette bit her lip to keep herself from screaming. Come on, Anzu. Just as long as you can move, you'll be fine. But how could she even be just all right? Her dance was still a long way from being over. The next steps were even more complicated to the end; they would surely add strain to her injury, if she could even try to execute the moves, that is. To survive that would be like trying to draw blood from a stone.

This can't be happening! She had worked so hard to get through all the levels of screening. And now she was in the finals. More than ever, she couldn't give up. Hell, even in her past failed auditions, she had never fallen. Why now, when everything was crucial and her rare shot at her dream was at stake?

"Anzu!" Jounouchi yelled at the top of his lungs. "Get up! Come on!"

"But it looks like Anzu had a hard fall," Honda observed, a frown of concern etched in his features. "Things might be worse for her if she continues."

The blond's head whipped at him. "How could you say that, Honda?" he demanded. "If Anzu doesn't continue, she'll definitely lose! Don't tell me you want that."

"Of course, I don't want her to lose. But take a good look at her, Jounouchi. The question is, can she even move?"

Jounouchi cast his gaze on the stage again. Anzu seemed to struggle to stir, her arms and face still next to the floor. He hated to admit it but Honda did have a point. "Still, what could be done now? This is the finals. Anzu can't just back out now." When no one replied, it was then that he realized Yuugi hadn't said anything since Anzu's fall. He turned to his spiky-haired friend. "Yuugi, what do you think?"

And then he blinked, staring strangely at the other duelist. "Yuugi?"

Oblivious to everything else, Mou hitori no Yuugi stood up, then caught himself. The sudden awareness of acute vivid sights and audible murmurs finally slamming all his senses, he forced himself down on his seat. Or should he say, Yuugi's seat. A frown marked his features. It was rather uncharacteristic of him to already manifest himself in his partner's body without being aware of it beforehand. It was even stranger that along this sudden projection came a physical reaction that had escaped his control. But his wonder was only short-lived. Whether or not his reaction had been out of instinct, it didn't matter right now.

But someone did.

And that someone was in the midst of losing her dream.

He could still see in his mind the first time she saw that poster detailing the competition—one that would recognize the potential of only one dancer by granting the special chance of accepting the chosen one as an incoming student with a scholarship. Yuugi coincidentally had been with her, but even while just residing inside his host's short frame, the spirit had witnessed the brunette get all fired up. Given the harvest of reward she would reap if ever she won, he couldn't blame her. And just like Yuugi, he had wanted her to win.

"Anzu, I think you should take a break."

Yuugi was completely ignored as Anzu leaned over the audio equipment to hit the rewind button. Again.

"Anzu, you must be tired by now. You've been practicing nonstop since this morning. No, since last week or even way earlier than that…" For a while he frowned as he thought hard. "Come to think of it, I don't even remember the first time you practiced for this competition anymore."

Anzu began the sequence of funky steps without even glancing in the shorter teen's direction. "Yuugi, I told you a thousand times before, I'm not slacking off to lose this opportunity. You know how important this scholarship means to me."

Now with Anzu lying on the stage, he was torn. Both Jounouchi and Honda were right but he saw further than what they had pointed out. Dancing was Anzu's passion and dream, and she had sacrificed so much time and effort to reach it. It was no wonder to the nameless pharaoh why this competition was extremely important to her, and therefore she shouldn't give up now, of all times.

But from the look of things, it seemed that the girl could barely even move her foot. It didn't seem to be a simple slip; Mou hitori no Yuugi wasn't entirely sure, but she must have sustained quite a serious sprain, if anything. If Anzu were to get up and continue, not only was she risking greater public humiliation, she was putting herself in danger of worsening her injury. If things came to worst, that worsened injury would be a great hindrance to dancing at all in the future. No, he didn't want to see her hurt even further.

Then, to his slightly masked shock, Anzu slowly tried to stand up, her face twisted in suppressed pain as she staggered to a slightly stable position. But then her trembling form collapsed and fell on its knees instead, palms hitting the floor. At the same time, a distant ache echoed somewhere inside the pharaoh, but this time, he knew it wasn't his partner's physical or soul reaction, and he had to admit that. Do not make yourself suffer anymore, Anzu, a fragment of his own soul silently called out. There will be other chances. This is for your own good.

"Do you think she would be able to make it?" Even Jounouchi sounded uncertain now.

No one answered him. Or more precisely, no one could answer him.

As Mou hitori no Yuugi continued to watch, Anzu attempted once more to get up, only to result in vain, her face crumpling. One male hand clenched into a tight fist that its knuckles whitened. It was so clear how difficult it was for Anzu to rise, how heavy the burden of the sudden twist of events was on her shoulders, and yet she was still struggling to push herself beyond her limit. He nearly gritted his teeth. What on earth are you doing! that same part of him now yelled out. Stop punishing yourself! Listen to me, Anzu! This predicament before his eyes claimed him so much that he was no longer aware that he wasn't even sensing whatever reaction Yuugi was having at the same time.

But against his inner yells, Anzu still tried to push one hand off the floor, even when her effort didn't pay off again.

The Egyptian spirit stared at her, inwardly struck by mixed disbelief and shock. Anzu… You're not going to give up, are you?

"Yuugi, I told you a thousand times before, I'm not slacking off to lose this opportunity. You know how important this scholarship means to me."

"I didn't mean you're slacking off," Yuugi amended. "But it's already ten in the evening. We still have school tomorrow!"

"Then feel free to go home now."

"Anzu…" Then suddenly the spirit contained inside Yuugi's body projected himself by his side. His host turned to him, surprised. Mou hitori no boku?

Aibou, perhaps she would listen to me.

Yuugi seemed mildly surprised, then nodded. I'll leave it to you then, Mou hitori no boku.

The Millennium Puzzle glowed, allowing Mou hitori no Yuugi to assume control. "Anzu, Aibou is right. You should pay attention to what he said."

"Thanks for the concern, Yuugi. But if I stop now, I'm not going to improve. As you know, practice makes perfect." Anzu didn't even seem to be in surprise by the sudden switch of souls inside Yuugi as her movements quickened according to her routine.

"But with what you're doing right now, you're actually making yourself worse." The pharaoh watched her leap from one side to the other. "If you don't take a pause now, sooner or later you'll develop at least a—"

"Ah!" Anzu yelped as she suddenly halted and took a step back, wincing and holding her right leg in pain.

"—cramp," he finished, approaching the dancer to help her gingerly sit on the cold floor.

"I'm okay, really, Yuugi," she tried to reassure him, then flinched again.

"You're not." His examining gaze fell heavily on her sore leg, then on her face. "This practice is obviously taking a toll on your body. Rest now. Straining yourself won't do you any good."

Anzu breathed deeply in and out, carefully massaging her lower limb. Her face wasn't as crunched up as before but it was evident that the pain was still present. "Just knowing how excellent you are…"

"Anzu…"

"This competition is my only chance. If I win, I wouldn't even have to hold secret part-time jobs anymore. I get what you mean, Yuugi. But I shouldn't surrender to this pain. Whatever happens in the competition, I want to go through it without regretting how I didn't do everything that I could to prepare for it, even if it meant straining myself to death. Besides—" She looked him straight in the eye. "If you were in a terrible duel right now with all odds against you, would you be ready to yield?"

And then he completely understood.

Still on all fours, Anzu felt large beads of hot sweat line the contours of her lowered face. Her palms and knees, still sore from the collision earlier, were her only support against the hard floor.

Just then she felt the presence of a man approach her side, and she turned her head, realizing it was the host. With the microphone away from their talking range, he queried, "Can you still dance?"

She wanted to say yes. Desperately. But that wasn't the truth anymore. There was no need for her to even answer; even the host could very well tell that dancing would be impossible now. If only she could move her foot properly, maybe she still had a fighting chance. Her teeth gritted. Damn it, she didn't come all this way just to fall apart in front of everyone now! But it looked like now it was all over. And with all these people right in front of her to witness it, especially the judges whose faces she wouldn't dare to see for herself…

"Anzu!"

Familiar voices. They were coming from somewhere near the center of the auditorium. No, not just near the center but actually closer to her vicinity than she expected. Anzu strained to trace the yells past the area of the judges until she managed to single out a specific row. And she was right; seated with strained and worried faces were Honda, Jounouchi and…

Mou hitori no Yuugi? Anzu was beyond alarm at this, having expected to see the original Yuugi. The spirit inhabiting her petite friend's body wasn't smiling at all; in fact, his expression was somewhat serious as he stared at her unflinchingly. It made her so horrified that she just wanted to hide from his sight or, even better, to just disappear. Why did he have to see her now at her weakest? What would he think of her now?

But instead he locked his eyes with hers…

…and nodded at her.

Her heartbeat sped. Mou hitori no Yuugi…

"Mazaki Anzu is no longer in condition to perform," the host's deep voice boomed through the speakers. "With the discontinuation of her number, she would now have to forf—"

"C-Continue."

The host blinked as Anzu staggered to rise on one knee. "What?"

Ignoring the hushed murmurs from the audience, she looked him straight in the eye, her face set. "Continue the music."

He seemed uncertain, also probably because she wasn't even assessing the extent of her injury. "Your foot—"

"Sprained or not, this means nothing to me."

For her, that nod from Mou hitori no Yuugi was enough.

The snappy beat of the music resumed as Mou hitori no Yuugi watched Anzu continue right where she had left off. Her jerky movements while she still staggered, the way her sweaty face often contorted in pain, didn't escape his notice. He suppressed the part of him that wanted to call out to her from his seat and make her stop. To stop now would mean to surrender.

Then after sometime, as though by a miracle, Anzu gradually lost all traces of pain and gained stability in movement, proceeding as though nothing bad had occurred. The dance returned to normal. Good. For a while, the duelist surveyed the people apart from his friends surrounding him for their reaction. And as he predicted, despite the dim lights around them, he saw great interest displayed on their faces, out of wonder on how an injured girl who obviously lost a big chance of winning in a tough competition could still get up and push through her performance.

The purple eyes shifted their attention back to Anzu, studying her. The more he watched her dance, the more he felt the intensity, the growing strength of her passion. Fierce, burning like raging fire. If put to identity, it was almost, if not exactly, how he would feel if he were in a duel right now. When was the last time he had been moved by one's dedication to his or her passion for something that had no involvement of duel monsters?

He reconsidered his last thought.

Maybe he never had been at all.

It was a little later when he began to notice something odd. Anzu's steps appeared to be different from what he had observed before. The pharaoh with spiky hair didn't memorize every detail of the routine before, but countless times of watching the brunette practice while residing inside his host had provided him a distinct pattern. Now this dance unfolding before him lost that pattern, discarding itself into a new dance that seemed even more… appealing.

But it wasn't just all about the dance. Facial expression unveiling more and more, Anzu seemed to be enjoying herself, more relaxed than at the beginning of the routine. Unaware of the audience who had grown silent with awe. Smoother, more graceful yet strong and fighting unstoppably. This dance was who Anzu really was, a reflection of her soul. And she was baring her soul right in front of everyone.

In front of him.

Anzu.

The bright, colorful spotlights had already vanished into the background as Anzu was having a blast. She had already forgotten what this competition was all about and the pressure of putting everything at stake in just one turn. Or that she had an injury that should be inhibiting her movement. Or that her parents wouldn't be able to come and watch her, or even that hundreds of paired eyes were on her every move. No longer was she chained to the predicted routine that strained her to win—or else. No, that routine had been gone now since her inability to execute its growing difficult steps had left her a wide opportunity to move in any matter she wanted. To Anzu, the current dance felt like a lifetime. No, it felt like life. No, it was life. She felt so happy, so true to herself, so light and free. Just like how she remembered herself as a child executing her first clumsy dance steps yet thoroughly enjoying them. Of course, by now her moves were refined but, a great dancer or not, Anzu knew being one always had and always would make her heart soar.

She owed everything to Mou hitori no Yuugi. Being too concerned about winning the path to her dream had been understandable, but she had lost sight on showing why she should win, on showing who she really was and her passion. And somewhere at the back of her mind was the realization of how she had misinterpreted the way the pharaoh had inspired her: Mou hitori no Yuugi always won not because he was excellent but because he always showed his true self in his duels. Because the true self of anyone, regardless of degree of greatness, could make the impossible possible.

Could make miracles happen.

So now she was letting herself fly. This was her stage, with no one dictating or admonishing her on what way she should spread her arms, step back, or leap. Up to the last beat, only her soul was the one guiding the grace of her moves, the precision of every execution. When the upbeat rhythm finally reached its conclusion, chocolate hair flew as she ended with a striking pose, eyes closed with one arm raised with a flourish.

Wild applause erupted as Anzu opened her eyes. Not only that, many people were standing up in approval. For a while, she was in a daze yet still soaring. I can't believe it. This is so incredible! she thought, flattered. Then, remembering her friends, she gazed in their direction and searched their faces. Honda was shouting her name while Jounouchi grinned and gave her a thumbs-up. And smiling while clapping next to him was… Mutou Yuugi.

Anzu mentally frowned. Where was Mou hitori no Yuugi? Didn't he finish watching her dance to the end? Her happiness plummeted in an instant, her lively frame stiffening at the same time.

But in the presence of so many people, she couldn't afford to openly show how she was truly feeling inside. Suppressing it with a smile hanging by a thread, the dancer wrapped up her presence with a polite bow. In the process, she could see the hard clapping of the people, but it sounded more and more distant until nothing reached her ears anymore. It was only when her head was faced down that she allowed her tight expression to unmask itself. Why didn't you?

She had never felt so let down in her entire life.

"Cheers!"

Soda cans were clicked for a toast, and Anzu was forced to drink from hers while seated on a white bed. That night, she and her companions were inside her room at Domino Hospital. With a ride on Honda's motorcycle, she had been brought in for an examination on her injured foot, which had naturally worsened after its continuous use in her dance. In truth, back then Anzu only had a vague impression of something akin to a sprain; she had been too alarmed by her immobility that even identifying the specific injury hadn't occurred to her. It was only after her exhilaration—out of adrenaline rush, she guessed—had died when the pain resumed tenfold.

But as much as the dance had been worth the pain, neither of the two was the one troubling her. Still, despite being totally oblivious to it, her friends had wanted to celebrate her performance in their own small way. She couldn't let them down at the very least, let alone ruin the good mood with her problem. "Thanks for this, guys, even if I only got second place."

"I bet you would've won first place if you hadn't fallen." Jounouchi took another gulp from his own soda.

Yuugi shook his head. "I think it's possible that Anzu raised herself to second place because of that fall. I mean, all the competitors were equally good. How Anzu got up must have caught the judges' attention."

"Well, that makes sense," Honda mused. "Or probably it was both. With the way Anzu rose to continue the dance, she could have earned first place, but the fall itself couldn't be ignored since it was a huge flaw on the part of the dance that she landed on second. Not that we really understand what's really going on with the minds of those judges anyway. Well, Anzu, only you can pull something like this off. By the way, Jounouchi here got afraid that you would lose. He didn't have any faith in you, did you, Jounouchi?"

"Shut up." Jounouchi glared at the teenager with pointed brown hair. "This coming from the guy who actually believed she couldn't move and shouldn't continue the dance."

"He got you there, Honda-kun," Yuugi pointed out helpfully, and they all burst out laughing except Honda, who froze and then just shrugged his shoulders in surrender.

"Well now, what are you planning to do, Anzu?" Jounouchi asked when the laughter subsided, eyeing her bandaged foot elevated by a soft white pillow on the bed. "I seriously doubt you'd be able to go to school tomorrow."

"Not yet," Anzu admitted. "The doctor wanted me to rest here tonight and then examine my state tomorrow. If everything turns out all right, I might be able to go home then, but I don't think I'll be attending school for a few more days."

"With the way your foot got abused, for a good cause anyway, that would take one week at the very least." The teen with dirty blond hair checked his watch. "Shoot. As much as I want to stay here, I have to go now. Shizuka knows I'm here but soon she'll be worried about me."

Honda looked at the clock hanging on the white wall. "That makes the two of us. I still haven't done that History assignment. Well, unless Yuugi's willing to share his…"

"You guys do that assignment yourselves," Anzu admonished. "You won't succeed in anything if you keep asking for other people's help all the time."

"Well, I wasn't being serious about that. I can survive that assignment on my own, no problem." The brunet turned to Yuugi. "What about you, Yuugi? Are you coming with us?"

The holder of the Millennium Puzzle shook his head. "I'll keep Anzu company until her parents get here. Her mom said over the phone that they're on their way."

"All right, we'll see you tomorrow then. Good night, you two."

"Good night," Anzu and Yuugi chorused. Jounouchi and Honda exited and closed the door behind them.

Leaving Anzu alone with Yuugi. Alone with dismal thoughts. Now that her other friends were no longer present, fighting off downheartedness was just too exhausting that she easily slid back into it.

"Anzu?" Yuugi queried. "You've gotten quiet all of a sudden. Is anything the matter?"

"Huh? Uh, no. I was just thinking about… this afternoon, that's all." Afternoon. It had only been just a few hours gone by, yet it seemed to be stretched by her unsettled thoughts. All evening she could do nothing but wallow in disappointment, then hope she was wrong, and let the cycle repeat itself. Of course, there was that option of directly asking Mou hitori no Yuugi himself for her peace of mind, but she wasn't about to show desperation and possibly embarrassment. Neither was the option of asking Yuugi any better, for the possible misinterpretation that Yuugi's presence never had gotten Anzu's appreciation at all.

The indirect approach was her only choice. "Yuugi," she began, choosing her words carefully. "What did you think about the dance?"

Yuugi smiled brightly. "It was great," he declared with much enthusiasm. "You were awesome back there, Anzu!"

"And…" Hesitation. "Did you finish watching it?"

"Of course! I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Oh." Her face fell. So he didn't after all. What was I expecting? Why was I expecting? Oh, she knew why, all right. Because in the deepest pit of failure, one simple gesture from Mou hitori no Yuugi had given her the push to rise, go on, and ignore pain until she felt no more with adrenaline buildup. Because even as she had lost herself to the dance that revealed the true Anzu, somewhere inside her a part wished to make him realize he was responsible for it and to witness it for himself. But now that Yuugi had unknowingly crushed her hope, realization reprimanded her that maybe she was just asking for too much.

Or maybe he didn't actually watch her at all. Maybe in her wish for him to do so, that nod he had given her had been just a figment of her imagination.

But if she had just imagined it, then why could she remember how appalled she had felt at Yuugi's dead serious stare on her?

Because it wasn't Yuugi, a faint voice at the back of her mind answered. Only one person is capable of such a stare.

So she was right. Mou hitori no Yuugi's appearance might have been only brief, but still Anzu knew she owed him big time. It was only right that he learned how she felt about it. "Yuugi?"

"Yes?"

"I know this sounds a little sudden but could you do me a favor? You don't have to do it right away, though, just as long as it's done…"

"Of course. What is it?"

"Please tell Mou hitori no Yuugi I want to thank him. For—" She wanted to say inspiring but then stopped herself. Aware that Mou hitori no Yuugi didn't regard her in the same way she did him, she didn't want the word to come too strong. "For encouraging me. I know he's not listening right now but I wish it would reach him how much I owe him." As her mind formulated the words to come, the embarrassment of actually elaborating how weak she had been in her own field of all things, even only to Yuugi, was too overwhelming that it made her stare down at her lap instead. "When I couldn't dance anymore, I felt so humiliated and, even worse, so helpless. And when I couldn't even stand up properly, I actually thought that surrendering was the only thing I was capable of doing."

Anzu vaguely heard her male friend amble to reach her side, but her gaze remained transfixed on her lap. "Yuugi, I have to admit, I enjoyed being myself for almost the entire second half of the dance; it really felt great. But it was only during that time that I'd just forgotten the pressure the competition was putting me through. After the dance, it still doesn't change how important this competition is to me. Now I lost the scholarship. Maybe if I had just danced like the real me from the start, I might not have fallen at all. Maybe I might have won." Bitterness held her at the last spoken thought. "It took me Mou hitori no Yuugi to make me get up, continue and realize the real dance. Without him, I would've given up."

Just hearing herself, a girl usually with unwavering conviction, utter such thoughts made her wince. All those things she just expressed sounded weak to her own ears that she felt pathetic. So when her right leg now felt too stiff from prolonged lack of movement, thanks to her swollen foot, she chose to not ask Yuugi for assistance, adjusting herself to the bedside to get down. But as she leaned so that her palm would rest on the edge of the bed, it slipped that she lost balance and careened. Just before her body could completely leave the bed, she felt the duelist's hands grab her arms, her forehead caught in the safety of his left shoulder. Half of her entire weight pressed on him, her frame was guided to a more stable sitting position. "Sorry, Yuugi," she murmured against his chest.

"For five minutes, the world was yours. You did whatever you wanted during that time."

Azure eyes widened.

"Not only you got up on your own, you finished the dance. I did nothing."

Heart slamming loudly against her rib cage, she gazed up… and found herself away from his face by mere inches. Her breath hitched, she felt his own warm her cheek. Always used to being kept even at just a short distance, never had she been in such proximity to him, much less be caught in his strong, serious gaze. What was that unexpected thing she caught in his irises—something that even deepened that shade of violet? Whatever it was, witnessing it was melting her inside. She couldn't tear herself away from it even if she wanted to, not when he had already invaded her personal space.

Then he inclined his head, tips of golden bangs brushing against one of her already coloring cheeks, his breath warming her rosy lips now, orbs never abandoning hers, and had he leaned in just a little more, his lips would surely be touching hers. The moment too intense, all oxygen left her lungs and brain that it dizzied her. But just as her frame swayed in result, she felt his strong hands tighten their grasp to steady her. M-Mou hitori no… "Yuugi…?"

His voice, low and serious, uttered a few words only meant for her, leaving her stunned. For someone who didn't return her feelings…

"And now, for your reward."

He melded his mouth into hers, softly and gently, and for a moment she thought he was only giving her a consolation prize. But as he continued to kiss her, he offered her reassurance that everything was all right, that all her efforts and hard work had been worth it. Good work.

She moaned softly into his kiss, causing him to draw her even closer to him. His warm mouth continued to consume hers but this time quite harder, with a sense of urgency. Through his kiss, Anzu sensed his hidden worry and concern for her, felt his alarm for her. This is what you made me go through.

But most of all, she felt his very high esteem and respect for her, that she was someone who should be recognized by everyone.

And then he carefully released her. Her breath labored, she had to gasp for air. Even when her eyes saw him vanish to relinquish control to the first Yuugi, she could barely believe all that had just transpired. But when his words and his way of conveying them finally sank in, her gaze fell on her bandaged foot, and she found herself secretly smiling.

"To me, you are the winner. And always will be."

He acknowledged her, beyond what a platonic relationship with him could offer.

It was a trophy carved not by human hands but by the heart. Held by a relationship.

Anzu might have lost the scholarship.

But she had won Mou hitori no Yuugi's admiration and feelings.

Winning had never felt so rewarding.

-The End

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